
The Stasi Headquarters Tour
The East German Secret Police
…the Magdalenenstrasse train station, the perimeter of the Stasi Headquarters, the Haus 1 former office building of Erich Mielke, the former East German foreign intelligence (HvA) offices, the preserved office of long-standing Stasi chief, Erich Mielke…
Visit the East German secret police (Stasi) headquarters and learn about the war of surveillance the East German state waged on its citizens, about the ordinary people turned into informers and the tools of Cold War spycraft.
This rare opportunity to access what was one of the most inaccessible locations in East Germany is unlike anything offered anywhere else in the world – the chance to peer into the inner world and workings of the largest secret police organisation to have ever existed.
Magdalenenstraße U-Bahn station (U5) — at the western exit
“Matthew was excellent: informative, knowledgeable, responsive, great sense of humor. He was wonderful with our kids, conversational, and kept things moving at the perfect pace. The history and knowledge from Matthew was great context for the remainder of our trip, which included Auschwitz, Munich, and Bavaria. Highly recommend Matthew as a guide.”
Elizabeth HutchersonThe Republic Of Fear Tour · July 2024
“We are a family of 4 with 2 teenagers who are very interested in History. I chose Matthew because of his high ratings and long-time experience in Berlin. We really weren’t disappointed – we enjoyed 2 tours on consecutive days with Matthew and Marcus his driver (who was very interesting also). The 1st shorter tour was largely about Berlin before WWII – v interesting. Matt’s knowledge & his very well stocked iPad were perfect – there was always a photo to accompany the commentary.”
Joanna O'SullivanThe Republic Of Fear · October 2023
““Matthew was excellent: informative, knowledgeable, responsive, great sense of humor. He was wonderful with our kids, conversational, and kept things moving at the perfect pace. The history and knowledge from Matthew was great context for the remainder of our trip, which included Auschwitz, Munich, and Bavaria. Highly recommend Matthew as a guide.””
Ben BakerRepublic Of Fear - Behind The Iron Curtain Tour · July 2024
Good to know
- We offer private transportation-tour variations of all our famous walking tours.
- Get in touch for bigger group tours — we also offer bus tours for companies and schools.
- English-language tours with native English speakers — in other languages on request.
- Book directly with a local company — over 20 years' experience offering guided tours of Berlin.
The itinerary
Sites that can be included in this tour.
All of our private tours are carefully tailored to our clients wishes and expectations.
- Our Secret Police Tour starts at the western exit of the Magdalenenstrasse U-Bahn (U5 Line)
Featured experiences
Deep-dives on the sites you'll explore.
Go deeper
More on our history websites.
Before you book
Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book a private guided tour of Berlin?
Booking a tour via our website is simply a matter of navigating to the tour page and choosing the date you would like to tour and starting time via the calendar panel on the page. You will then be taken to a booking form, where you enter your personal details and can then choose your payment option. Once you complete your tour booking it will then enter our system as pending until confirmed on our side (this usually takes less than an hour depending when we see the booking request). Then within the next 24 hours we will contact your directly via the email you supply during the booking process to say hello and confirm the booking. If you have any special requests or requirements, please add them to your booking during the checkout process and we can finalise these details via email.
How do I pay for a tour?
You pay securely at the time of booking. When you pick your date and booking option on the tour page you’re taken straight to a secure checkout (processed by Stripe) that accepts all major credit and debit cards — VISA, Mastercard, Amex and more. Standard and Flexible bookings are paid in full at checkout; if you Reserve with a Deposit you pay half now and the balance 45 days before the tour. For bank transfer, agent invoicing or any other payment question, email info@berlinexperiences.com before booking and we’ll arrange it.
When do the tours start?
We find that as many of our clients are holidaying in Berlin that starting slowly in the morning for our Full Day Experiences is both recommended and most rewarding. A relaxing 10am start for our five/six hour tours also means that we can integrate a short coffee/snack break or lunch around 12:30pm. For the Half Day Experiences, we would also recommend the same – although along with the One Hour Experiences there is more flexibility due to the reduced length of the tours. When booking your tour, you will find the options for starting times in the booking window. If you don’t find the time you are looking for – get in touch(info@berlinexperiences.com) and we can work something out!
Where do the tours start?
For all of our Full Day Experiences, it is possible start and finish the tour at your hotel/accommodation. Depending on the location in the city and its distance from the areas we will be exploring, it may be more advisable to start at a centrally located landmark (within the Mitte district) such as the Brandenburg Gate or Museum Island. Our One Hour Experiences are designed with specific starting point and end points in mind – for each of these tours there is a train station nearby which is easy to reach for travellers wishing to arrive by public transportation. Check the description on the tour pages for these One Hour Experiences to see exactly where the meeting points are. For the Half Day Experiences, it may be possible in some cases (such as the Bitesize Berlin 3 Hour Private Van Tour) to start at your accommodation also. The other tours listed have specific starting points – be they the Berlin Brandenburg Airport for the Airport Transfer Tour or the Brandenburg Gate for the Berlin Explorer Tour.
Do you customise your tours?
While each of our tours have been designed to approach a certain historical theme or aspect of the city, we can always tailor your time in the city further. Berlin is not laid out chronologically, so when exploring it is only natural that we will pass landmarks and locations that are from different periods or are worth mentioning for certain events that have taken place there. If there is any aspect of Berlin’s history or theme that you would like to explore further we can always work on integrating relevant parts of the city into a tour you book – or suggest another tour that might be more relevant. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if there is something you would like to explore that you don’t see as part of our catalogue of tours. Send an email to info@berlinexperiences.com and we can discuss how to best make the most of your time in our extraordinary city.
What is your cancellation policy?
This depends on the booking option you choose at checkout. With a Standard booking (our best value) you can cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund, and up to 30 days before the tour for a 75% refund of the tour price; within 30 days of the tour, sales are final. A Flexible booking lets you cancel up to 14 days before the tour for a full refund of the Standard tour price (the Flexible premium itself is non-refundable). If you Reserve with a Deposit, the deposit that secures your date is non-refundable after the first 24 hours, and once the balance is paid the booking is confirmed and can no longer be cancelled. You can compare all three options, and their prices, on every tour’s booking calendar and on our Booking options & cancellations page. If you’d prefer to move your tour to another date rather than cancel, we’re always happy to help at no extra cost — just request a cancellation from your account or email info@berlinexperiences.com, and any approved refund is returned to your original payment method automatically. We always recommend travel insurance for unforeseen circumstances; your invoice can be used to claim from your insurer or card provider.
Can I book multiple tours?
Absolutely. You can do this either by booking tours individually through the booking platform we used or by adding tours to the shopping card system and booking multiple tours together.
Do you accept last minute bookings?
Due to the high number of tours we have booked during the high season (April-December), we have a one week limit on our booking platform. This means that you cannot automatically book any tour that would take place within the next 7 days through the platform. If you would like to book a last minute tour – just because we do not list availability on our booking platform does not mean that one of our guides is not available – do get in touch via email(info@berlinexperiences.com) and we will see what we can do!
Does Matt personally lead all of the Berlin Experiences tours?
I (Matt) endeavour to lead all the tours I offer, but depending on availability may already be booked with other clients. In which case, I have a team of the best professional guides in Berlin, all with years of experience and dedication to their work, that I work with. All are members of the Berlin Guides Association, an organisation known throughout the world for its guiding excellence. When you book you will receive a confirmation email within 24hrs to follow up on your booking and present which guides might be available and best suited for your tour/s.
Are all the suggested sights listed in your tours covered on every tour?
The sights listed in the itinerary sections of our tours are a general guide to what may be covered when booking those particular tours and not necessarily what we may be able to cover during that day. Particular factors such as official state visits, political demonstrations, reconstruction – and even the odd bomb disposal of Second World War ordnance – can shape & reshape our path through the city. We appreciate that every guest is different and approaches the city with different expectations and interests – and we tailor our tours accordingly. If you find something in particular that interests you then please do refer to this when contacting us so we can arrange your day accordingly.
Can you arrange an airport transfer for my day of arrival/departure?
Our professional drivers are also available for airport transfers – provided with either Mercedes Benz V-class or Volkswagen Caravelle vans. This service is for up to 4 people – including a moderate amount of baggage (one large bag and one small bag per person). You can book directly via the private BER airport transfer item in our booking platform. If you are looking for a private airport transfer and require a larger vehicle for a bigger group – get in touch via email(info@berlinexperiences.com).
I am having issues with the booking process/my card was rejected.
If you are having issues booking through our booking platform – please get in touch via email ASAP(info@berlinexperiences.com) so we can see what we can do to fix the problem. If you receive a particular error message that might be due to our booking system please do take screenshots (photos of your screen with the error) if possible. We also accept alternative forms of payment through bank transfer/Paypal or cash on the day for clients who would prefer these methods.
Do you charge VAT on your tours?
As we are based in Germany, we charge the official 19% VAT (sales tax) – already calculated as part of the cost of our tours and the price that you see when you pay. Additionally, we include the booking fee, guide fee, admin fee, driver and transportation costs (where applicable), and the mandatory German tourism insurances as part of the costs we present. We aim to be 100% transparent with our services – offering a fair price for a fantastic day’s exploration!
More
Other One Hour Experiences.

The Berlin Intro Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of Berlin's main historic sites for up to 10 people. Starts at Pariser Platz by the Brandenburg Gate.

The Third Reich Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of the Nazi government district for up to 10 people. Starts at Pariser Platz by the Brandenburg Gate.

The Cold War Berlin Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of Cold War Berlin's border sites for up to 10 people. Starts by the Berlin Wall segments on Potsdamer Platz.

The Berlin Wall Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Strasse for up to 10 people. Starts at the Berlin Wall Documentation Centre.

The Prussian Berlin Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of Berlin's Prussian royal centre for up to 10 people. Starts at the Rotes Rathaus near Alexanderplatz.

The Karl Marx Allee Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of East Berlin's showcase boulevard for up to 10 people. Starts at the World Clock on Alexanderplatz.

The Jewish Berlin Tour
Private 1-hour walking tour of Berlin's old Jewish Quarter for up to 10 people. Starts at the Postfuhramt on Oranienburger Straße.
Step inside the story.
€300 · private · 1 Hour
Reserve The Stasi Headquarters Tour